Cape Town – Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has reportedly said that South Africa is unlikely to face US repercussions after allegations that the country supplied weapons to Russia.
According to Bloomberg News, Godongwana said South Africa had resolved the row with the US.
“A number of actions were taken in order to ensure that our relationship with the US remains and that relationship should be normal and cordial.
“The Americans are not likely to respond with any anger tomorrow,” the report quoted Godongwana as saying.
US Ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety said last week he was confident that a Russian ship had picked up weapons in South Africa in December, in a possible breach of Pretoria’s declared neutrality in the Ukraine conflict.
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“We are confident that weapons were loaded onto that vessel and I would bet my life on the accuracy of that assertion,” Brigety said.
“The arming of Russia by South Africa … is fundamentally unacceptable.”
But South Africa slammed the charge, with Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya saying: “The ambassador’s remarks undermine the spirit of cooperation and partnership [between the two countries
According to Reuters, a finance ministry statement on Saturday said, “Action was taken long ago once this matter was brought to the attention of South African officials” when US Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen met with Godongwana in February.
When asked for comment, the US State Department referred to a tweet by Brigety on Friday that said he had corrected “any misimpressions left by my public remarks”, the report said.<
I was grateful for the opportunity to speak with Foreign Minister Pandor this evening and correct any misimpressions left by my public remarks. In our conversation, I re-affirmed the strong partnership between our two countries & the important agenda our Presidents have given us.
— Ambassador Reuben Brigety (@USAmbRSA) May 12, 2023
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
